Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has recently consulted on Nephrops Fisheries Management Plans: Proposed West Coast of Scotland Nephrops and North Sea Nephrops Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) - Scottish Government consultations - Citizen Space

The draft plans recognise the potential use of Functional Unit (FU) management for Nephrops stocks and propose to undertake an in-depth options appraisal for FU management of Nephrops.

We are currently analysing the responses to the consultation and will work with stakeholders as part of our co-management approach in order to further explore and address the complexities of FUs.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-02777 on 15 September 2026. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

The Scottish Government has no plans to develop a recreational sea-angling strategy. No assessment has been undertaken on any contribution that the recovery of inshore fish populations could make to the development of such a strategy, or to employment and tourism income in coastal communities.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-02777 on 15 September 2026. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

The Scottish Government has no plans to consult on the establishment of a strategically designed network of static-gear reserves covering at least 30% of Scotland's inshore waters by 2030.

The Loch Ness area is not designated as a National Scenic Area (NSA) and there have been no recent proposals to consider designating it. Any proposal to designate Loch Ness as a NSA would need to be brought forward in consultation with NatureScot and the local community.

Loch Ness and Duntelchaig is designated by the Highland Council in the Highland Wide Local Development Plan (LDP, 2012) as a Special Landscape Area (SLA).

National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) Policy 4 (Natural Places) part (d) sets out that development proposals that affect a site designated as a local landscape area in the LDP will only be supported where:

i. Development will not have significant adverse effects on the integrity of the area or the qualities for which it has been identified;

or ii. Any significant adverse effects on the integrity of the area are clearly outweighed by social, environmental or economic benefits of at least local importance.

Where proposed development, whether pumped storage hydro or otherwise, is likely to affect a protected area, NatureScot will be a statutory consultee within the approvals process. When considering its response to such consultations, NatureScot will consider both direct and indirect impacts on the protected area of the development in itself and any potential cumulative effects. Amongst a range of considerations, NatureScot will evaluate the extent to which the proposed development could negatively affect the effective management for biodiversity on the site and therefore the ability of the protected area to contribute to achieving the 30 by 30 commitment.

The Scottish Government has made clear to the UK Government that any move away from digital terrestrial television services must be guided by the principle of universal access. Television remains an important source of news, information, cultural content and social connection for many people, and we have emphasised that any decisions should take full account of the potential impacts on audiences, particularly those who may be at greater risk of exclusion, including people living in rural and island communities, and people from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

The Scottish Government recently responded to the UK Government’s consultation on the future of media, including next steps on the future of TV distribution, setting out that any transition must be evidence-led and informed by assessments of affordability, accessibility, broadband availability, network resilience and audience readiness. We have urged the UK Government to ensure that no household loses access to television services because of any future changes to distribution models, and that appropriate support and mitigations are put in place.

The Scottish Government continues to help extend the reach of fast, reliable broadband infrastructure across Scotland through our £600m investment in the Reaching 100% (R100) programme and our key role in delivering Project Gigabit in Scotland. Alongside this investment in connectivity, we continue to work with Ofcom and partners to raise awareness of affordable connectivity options, including social tariffs.

The Scottish Government recognises the risks associated with litter picking on high-speed roads and the need for robust safety measures. Responsibility for litter collection on Scotland’s trunk roads is shared between Transport Scotland and local authorities. Transport Scotland’s Operating Companies manage litter picking on motorways and special roads, while councils are responsible for other trunk roads, including the A9. Both must carry out risk assessments and implement safe working practices, including traffic management where required. To further reduce risks, Operating Companies coordinate maintenance activities with local authorities, enabling litter-picking to be undertaken when traffic management is already in place.

I wrote to the convener of the Rural Affairs Committee on 4 September setting out the Government's position on historic rights to ferry. The letter can be read at the following link: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/committees/current-and-previous-committees/session-7/rural-affairs-committee/correspondence/2026/glenelg-and-kylerhea-ferry-service